Naturway Foods changes hands, moves to new location

Stephanie Thurlow suffered from Lyme disease for more than 18 years. Her battle brought her into the world of natural foods, and using them seemed to help.

So it was, well, natural that she was interested in going into the business when an opportunity presented itself. Thurlow recently bought Naturway Foods, becoming the third owner in the history of a St. Cloud store that opened 27 years ago. As part of her acquisition, she also moved the store to 84-33rd Ave. S. from its former location on Third Street.

“I had to learn to take care of my body,” said Thurlow, a former pharmaceutical sales representative. “Using natural products made a big difference for me, as it does for people dealing with many other health issues.”

The store features a variety of supplements, proteins and herbal ingredients all designed to promote natural healing, she said. Gluten-free foods and personal care products also are examples of what you can find in more than 1,000 square feet of store space.

Naturway Foods has five employees, including Joanie Stradal, who has managed the store for 20 years.

“She knows it all,” said Thurlow, who lives in Crosslake but visits the store once or twice a week. “People come there because of her.”

Naturway Foods is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Amanda Plevell, a natural health practitioner specializing in food allergies, works out of the store Wednesday afternoons.